1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a light which may be mounted in a corner, and more particularly to a unique configuration for a lamp cover specifically designed to be quickly and conveniently mounted in a corner or like location, with any of several lighting arrangements being located in the corner under the lamp cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of interior decorating, there is a wide variety of lighting available for most applications in a home or business. Such lighting falls into two basic categories, namely stand-alone lighting, and built-in lighting. Stand-alone lighting includes any light or fixture which does not require substantial installation and which may easily be moved, such as floor and table lamps, lamps hung or suspended from hooks in walls or ceilings, and lamps placed on various pieces of furniture. Built-in lamps include all types of ceiling and wall fixtures, track lighting, and other lamps requiring installation.
A wide variety of built-in lighting is available for installation in homes or offices to illuminate them. Built-in fixtures mounted in recessed fashion in the ceiling are commonly used to provide the main illumination for rooms. Such ceiling-mounted fixtures are generally installed at the time of original construction, since they typically require an aperture in the ceiling as well as an installed power line for their installation.
Also popular, particularly in residential installations, is the box-mounted ceiling light fixture. At the time of original construction, an electrical box is installed in the ceiling , generally in a position in or near the middle of the room. The box is installed in a recessed position in the ceiling, with a power line running to the box to supply power for the light. It is quite easy to remove a fixture attached to the box, and to replace it with another fixture.
Another type of fixture which is also used commonly in residential construction is the wall-mounted light fixture. Such fixtures are particularly common in certain rooms of the house. For example, in a room having a fireplace it is common to use two wall-mounted lighting fixtures above the fireplace, one on each side of the fireplace. Such fixtures are also typically installed at the time of original construction, since they require a recessed box and a power line, which for cosmetic reasons is typically below the wall surface.
Thus, it may be seen that it is common to install lighting fixtures on the ceiling or in the walls of a room. It is also easy to locate a stand-alone light or floor lamp in a room, since most rooms have electrical plugs located at intervals around the room. In fact, the only place in a typical room where lighting is not located is in the corners, whether the corners between walls or the corners between the ceiling and a wall. For whatever reason, lighting fixtures have simply not been located in corners.
In fact, it is virtually impossible to purchase a fixture intended for installation in a corner. Rather, it is possible to locate some types of fixtures, such as a swag lamp which hangs on a chain, near a corner, but not in the corner itself. This is so because lamp fixtures are designed for installation onto a flat surface, not into a corner which is the intersection between two flat surfaces. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the best which may be done if it is desirable to locate a fixture in a corner is to locate it near to that corner.
It will also be recognized that this is not acceptable in most cases since lighting fixtures tend to be designed to throw light in a direction opposite the flat surface on which they are mounted. Thus, if a lighting fixture is designed for installation onto a flat surface, when it is mounted near a corner it will throw most of its light along the wall adjacent the wall it is mounted on. This uneven distribution of light, rather than an even distribution emanating from the corner, is typically aesthetically unacceptable.
Accordingly, it is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a fixture which may be installed in a corner, either between two walls or between the ceiling and a wall. It is desirable that the fixture be designed to closely fit the contours of a corner, to provide a built-in look which is pleasing to the eye. The fixture should be easy to install, requiring only a brief effort and simple hand tools to complete the installation process, thus making the corner fixture of the present invention ideal for installation by do-it-yourselfers.
It is a further objective of the present invention that the corner lighting fixture should evenly distribute light from the corner, rather than throwing the light to one wall or the other. The corner lighting fixture must present an aesthetically pleasing appearance, making it an attractive addition to a room or office. It is an additional objective of the present invention that the lighting fixture take up little room, and that it not project from the corner to any significant degree.
It is also an objective of the present invention that the corner lighting fixture be inexpensive of construction, thereby making it an economically attractive product which will prove appealing to people seeking to add additional lighting for a home or office. It must also be durable and long lasting, which feature, when added to its qualities of being easy to install, effective at providing light for a significant area, and relatively inexpensive, will make the corner light fixture of the present invention a highly desirable alternative to traditional wall and ceiling lights. Finally, it is desirable that the corner lighting fixture of the present invention provide all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives without resulting in any significant disadvantage.